NAKM: Feb. 15, 2025

Contributions and Achievements Worth Noting

Every February, streaming services open up their catalogues for Black History Month. Many of these films celebrate the contributions and achievements of Black Americans. Others are Bebe’s Kids.

Some films can lead to challenging conversations with your children about the reality of our society and our historic treatment of Black Americans. It’s important to have these conversations.

We need to be honest with our kids about our past and present. That said, not all children are ready for all conversations. I know my kindergartener would not be able to grasp the intent of the antagonists in a series like Roots. I can instead show her Simone Biles Rising on Netflix, Pixar’s Soul, or Disney’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. 

In fact, we’ve already seen them. She didn’t have questions because she saw what she’s supposed to see: Regular people living their lives.

My second-grader is currently learning about civil rights in school. She’s ready for something deeper. Is she ready to see Kunta Kinte whipped and amputated? Probably not. But she can learn about slavery and its enduring economic, cultural, and social impact on American lives. And with my guidance, she can better understand why we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans.

My recommendations this edition are aimed at her – and will help foster those conversations without sheltering her from reality.

Except for one recommendation. Bebe’s Kids. She’s a tad too young for it.

I joked about Bebe’s Kids’ contributions and achievements. You might be surprised to find the critically-shelled film has many contributions and achievements. Scroll down to learn more.

Brendan

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My Pint-Sized Review of Dog Man

Dog Man is silly, absurd, wacky, and may have you wiping away a tear at the end. At first, the antics are anything goes. The jokes come at you rapid fire. Blink, and you’ll miss a funny text. Talk, and you’ll miss two funny comments. You won’t be laughing out loud too often. Instead, you’ll smile and nod, thinking ‘very clever’ again and again. Meanwhile, your kids will be giggling and laughing at the Marx Bros.-like comedic anarchy.

There are emotional moments peppered throughout about loss and loneliness because, apparently, losing your head and your body is traumatic. In the end, characters are forced to make decisions about who they are. Everything changes. Kids learn a good lesson about how bad choices don’t define them (more on that in the next newsletter).

I didn’t expect Dog Man, a movie about the goofy, almost nonsensical book my kids read, to entertain me this much. I had a perma-smile until the emotional pepper grinds paid off. Then I had that puckered mouth expression like Louis Armstrong playing the trumpet that we all make when we don’t want to show emotion.

Dog Man is theater-worthy. You won’t be disappointed dropping a few bucks to see it with the kiddos. My next watch will be the first day it's streaming. I realize now that I tried too hard to catch every joke. Next time, I’ll have a cooler sitting shotgun on my couch spot (with room for the kids) — and will let the goofy, anything-goes humor wash over me as I perma-smile away.

In theaters: Now

Rating: PG (Me: 5+)

Director: Peter Hastings

Starring: Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher

Run time: 1:29

Post-credits scenes: The credits feature an art montage. Nothing else.

Bathroom breaks: According to Run Pee…

• 23:30 “when Dog Man leaves the chief’s office.”

• 46:50 “when the smoke stacks start flashing red.”

Sequel? I wouldn’t be surprised given the film’s mild but positive success.

If you liked Dog Man, check out these films:

• Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) (5+)

• Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023) (3+)

• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015) (5+)

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021) (6+)

• The Lego Movie (2014) (4+)

Fresh Cuts

The latest family films to hit all screens. Not all are winners. Watch at your own risk!

In Theaters 📽️

• (Feb. 28) The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie

On Disc 📀

• (Feb. 18) The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) (10+)

• (Feb. 18) Panda Plan (2024)

News You Can Use (and Sometimes Booze)

• Awards: The Wild Robot crushes at The Annie Awards. Streaming on Peacock.

• Trailer: The Smurfs head to the real world. Again. This time with Rihanna trying her best

• Box Office: <in Lil Rey Howerey’s voice> Dog Man is on top of 2025? Wut!

• Whiskey: How tariffs would impact whiskey prices. Buzz tax!

Papa Do Preach!

Let’s Get Rec’d!

Check my list before you wreck yourself next family film night.

Keepin’ It Real

Hidden Figures does and doesn’t shy away from the racism and sexism of the ‘60s. The film’s family-friendly sheen glosses over some of the harsher realities of racism and sexism at the time. And that’s what makes it a great entry point for discussing civil rights, sexism, and even the space program. Your kids will learn about a group of brilliant women who helped NASA win the space race and break down barriers here on Earth and in space. Hidden Figures also shows how those in power can lift others when they speak up (a round of applause for John Glenn, everyone). You’ll have to rent Hidden Figures because even though Disney now owns the film, it is currently not on Disney+.

Kickin’ It Old School

12 Years a Slave. Selma. One Night in Miami. That one that Octavia Spencer crushed.

All are Oscar-worthy. None is the black filmmaking achievement that is Bebe’s Kids.

Seriously. Bebe’s Kids was the first full-length animated film to feature an predominantly black main cast and crew and is based on the comedy routine of comedian Robin Harris. When I say the crew is black, I’m talking about the Writer, Director, Lead Animator, Art Director, Editor, Casting Director, Storyboard Artist, and more. They had $10 million and were grossly understaffed, but put together a film that’s become a cult classic. Many of them went on to create incredible projects that you may watch today. You want contributions and achievements? You got it.

Consider this – in 1992, Juice and Deep Cover dominated the box office with stories about the violent struggles of black Americans. Bebe’s Kids was about a guy who takes three difficult kids to a theme park to impress their mom. It’s relatable. It's funny. It’s a reflection of the lives many Black Americans actually lead. It’s an example of why representation matters at all levels of filmmaking. And in the early ‘90s, there was nothing else like it.

Droppin’ Knowledge

If you want a powerful depiction of the Black American experience from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement, you can’t do better than The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. It shows Miss Jane’s difficult but rewarding journey from childhood through adulthood at a time of tragically slow transition in this country. You will field questions about racial violence and racial slurs. Don’t pause too often. The story is slow at times — and two hours pushes attention limits — but The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman has enough eye-opening scenes that the greater themes will likely linger with your child for a long time. It did with me.

For Your Eyes Only

What to watch after THEY go to bed.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Director George Romero said he cast Duane Jones in the lead role of Night of the Living Dead because he was the best actor for the job. I believe it. Duane Jones makes the movie. He leads a group of people during a zombie invasion. Race doesn’t matter when you’re trying to stay alive. That said, audiences in 1968 were shocked to see a black man take charge and shout orders at white people. The role of Ben was written with a white actor in mind, making his dialogue and actions all the more powerful. Jones later said, “It never occurred to me that I was hired because I was black, but it did occur to me that because I was black, it would give a different historic element to the film.” Without Duane Jones, Night of the Living Dead would have been a shrewd commentary on a dysfunctional society. With him, the movie is a groundbreaking masterpiece.

The Whiskey Sour

Let’s celebrate an icon. Tom Bullock is a legendary bartender from St. Louis. He’s the first black American to publish a cocktail book (The Ideal Bartender, 1917). One of his creations is the simple but fantastic film night cocktail, the Whiskey Sour.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey

• ¾ oz lemon juice

• ¾ oz simple syrup

Garnish:

• Cherry or orange slice

Instructions:

1. Mix: Pour contents into a shaker.

2. Chill: Add ice to shaker. Shake.

3. Rocks: Add fresh ice to a rocks glass.

4. Strain: Pour chilled drink through a strainer into your glass.

5. Garnish: Add a cherry or orange slice.

Cheers!

The Man Behind the Mask

Thanks for reading and subscribing!

I am a former television news journalist who now writes about movies, parenting, and tech online (and occasionally on paper). My number one job, though, is making sure my girls grow up with steady heads on their shoulders. I think our shared movie nights have a positive impact on their self-esteem and develop an awareness of the world around them. I relish every night — except for maybe Baby Geniuses. I got through that one with my good friend George Dickel.

Brendan Knapp